Robbie Lawler's Top 5 Career Knockouts

He's refined himself vastly over the years, but there's no denying that Robbie Lawler has always possessed a top-flight killer instinct.

Once considered a one-trick pony, the UFC's second-ranked welterweight has improved every facet of his game since beginning his second stint with the UFC—including his incredible knockout dexterity.

Lawler joined American Top Team before his return to the UFC in early 2013, a choice that's helped him morph from a rough-around-the-edges brawler to a downright surgically precise knockout artist.

While "Ruthless" is finally beginning to reach his potential as a mixed martial artist, the 32-year-old Pat Miletich disciple has always packed extraordinary KO power. Of his 23 career wins, 19 have come via KO.

Honorable Mentions: Lawler's Flying Knees

Joey Villasenor: In an amazing display of explosiveness, Lawler leaped in the air and landed a flying knee that abruptly sent a previously upright Villasenor onto his back at Pride 32.

A stunned Villasenor took a few follow-up punches from Lawler before the referee stepped in to save the day just 22 seconds into the first round.

Adlan Amagov: Shortly after getting hit with an illegal knee, Lawler issued some payback to Amagov in the form of a legal flying knee to his head at Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine.

Lawler grazed the top of Amagov's head with his flying knee, flattening the blossoming Russian. Lawler dropped three left hands and a right on a defenseless Amagov for good measure to prompt referee Steve Mazzagatti to stop the bout.

4. Lawler vs. Tiki Ghosn

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At the age of 20, Lawler showed off his lethal right hook for the first time on Tiki Ghosn's jaw in his third fight with the company at UFC 40.

Lawler slipped a straight right and then landed a flush counter right hook that dropped Ghosn. Ghosn seemingly hit the mat conscious only to absorb a right haymaker from Lawler that instantly put him to sleep.

Referee Nelson Hamilton got to a possessed Lawler just in time to save Ghosn from any further damage, but he nearly broke his neck in the process.

3. Lawler vs. Bobby Voelker

Five months after upsetting Josh Koscheck in his return to the UFC, Lawler kept his momentum going by scoring the first head-kick KO of his career in a thrilling win over Bobby Voelker at UFC on Fox 8.

Voelker took a beating in the opening round and emerged from his corner in the second round battered and bloody.

Lawler wasted little time putting the Kansas City, Missouri, native away, landing a left high kick square on Voelker's temple that rendered the fellow Strikeforce vet unconscious just 24 seconds into the second round.

Referee Dan Miragliotta thankfully recognized Voelker's dire state and stepped in to spare him from Lawler's signature finishing hammerfists.